Turkey-like earthquake can create havoc in Uttarakhand too, Scientist warns

The Turkey-Syria Earthquake that occurred on February 6 in Turkey and Syria has caused huge devastation. Now there is a possibility of a severe earthquake in India as well. There is a possibility of this earthquake coming in the Uttarakhand region. Dr. N Purnachandra Rao, Chief Scientist of Seismology at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) has warned about this. He has warned that the danger of an earthquake bigger than Turkey is hovering over Uttarakhand.

Dr Rao has said that the destruction will depend on many factors, which differ from one geographical area to another. He said that we have set up about 80 seismic stations in the Himalayan region with focus on Uttarakhand. We are monitoring it in real time. Our data shows that stress has been building up over a long period of time.

He said that we have GPS networks in the area. GPS points are moving, indicating changes taking place beneath the surface. Rao said that variometric GPS data processing is one of the reliable methods for determining what is happening to the Earth.

Dr Rao insisted, “We cannot predict the exact time and date but a massive earthquake can hit Uttarakhand anytime.” The remarks by India’s top scientist came while talking about the landslide at Joshimath, considered to be the entry gate of pilgrimage sites like Badrinath and Kedarnath.

It is known that the Char Dham Yatra will start in the next two months. During this, a crowd of lakhs of devotees gathers on the mountains of Uttarakhand. An earthquake of magnitude of 8 and above is very destructive. The intensity of the earthquake in Turkey was measured at 7.8 on the Richter scale\, where thousands of buildings were razed to the ground and the death toll crossed 46 thousand.

Dr Rao further said that in the Himalayan region, which extends from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, there is a possibility of an earthquake of more than 8 magnitude. “The damage depends on the population density, quality of construction of buildings, mountains or plains, and many other factors,” he said. The entire Himalayan region is prone to earthquakes, which has previously seen four major earthquakes, including the 1720 Kumaon earthquake and the 1803 Garhwal earthquake.

posted by uday india